The Tampa Bay Lightning released their schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 season on Thursday. The Lightning will open the season on the road Thursday, October 1st, at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers. Then, the Bolts begin the home regular season schedule at Benchmark International Arena on Saturday, October 3rd, against a returning Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

After six hours of speculation, deals, and trades, the night looked to be over for the Tampa Bay Lightning on the first day of free agency on Wednesday. Then, literally at the twelfth hour, as the clock neared midnight and many fans had gone to bed, the Bolts secured one last move: Signing veteran defenseman John Carlson to a two-year, $17 million deal. A deal that can be the difference as the team looks for a deep playoff run next season.

Tampa Bay Head Coach Jon Cooper is the longest-serving coach in the NHL, having joined the Lightning in March 2013. In January, the two-time Stanley Cup champion became the third-fastest coach to reach 500 wins, and the quickest to do so with one franchise. Despite four consecutive first-round playoff exits leading to murmurs from dissatisfied fans, the team has a response for those advocating for a coaching change behind the Bolts' bench: "Coop" isn't going anywhere.